Didn’t get the job? Maybe it’s for the best.

Here’s some reasons to not feel discouraged in your job search.

As someone who speaks frequently with jobseekers who apply via Alongside, I can understand their pain. They spend a lot of time creating and then tailoring resumes/applications for jobs they think they’d kill to have. Then? Silence. Or, an interview that they hype yourself up for, followed up with a two sentence rejection email. “Dear ______, thank you for your interest in Blah Blah Co. Unfortunately, we’ve decided to go with another candidate…” Bummer.

Liz Ryan recently wrote an article for Forbes entitled ‘Five Signs You Got Lucky When You Didn’t Get The Job’. It was based on a letter from a reader who was on an emotional rollercoaster in their job search and seeking advice to deal with it. Liz gave some great tips on how to feel better about job search rejection, as well as five reasons it might be for the best. Here’s my takeaways from her response to ‘Ryland’’s inquiry.

Reasons #1 & #4: Revolving Doors

Liz breaks down scenarios where toxic culture or turnover could be the case. The job ad may spring up again in a few months after they passed you over. Or, you easily do a LinkedIn search and see a history of several employees who held that position over a few short years. Toxic culture is certainly a possibility, or it could be role instability in general. If you’re looking for job security, you may have dodged a bullet. Proactive tip: Read carefully through job postings to see if they’re contract or leave-covering positions.

Create a ‘Flurry of Job-search Activity’

I tell jobseekers to treat their job search like a full-time job. I stole this from my friend, Jenn Murray, an HR Consultant. In her response, Liz advises ‘Ryland’ to actively job-search as much as possible. You’re going to deal with rejection, no matter what. It’s like working in sales, there’s often tons of no’s. You just need to keep going at a pace that you don’t concentrate your energies entirely into one application at a time… because the let-down will feel way worse. If you’re going all in, it’s best to keep a track of where you’ve applied. I’d recommend using a spreadsheet to log your applications, dates, who you contacted, etc.

“Keep your skepticism alive throughout the interviewing process. Otherwise, your desperation will radiate from you like steam off a radiator. Dogs smell fear, and so do humans.’’

Absolutely. Heck, it’s like dating! We all know some times things look better on paper! The company is looking for the best fit for them, BUT you’ve also got to find the best fit for you. Even when you do get an interview, or even better, an offer, make sure to really assess whether the role and company align with your values and goals. Don’t just settle for the first chance that comes along. Trust me, you won’t be happy in the long run.